The present invention relates to vehicle visors and particularly to a mounting assembly for attaching a visor to a vehicle.
Visors are conventionally mounted to a vehicle by an elbow bracket which is secured to the sheet metal or other framework of the vehicle roof by fastening screws. The visor assembly includes a visor body into which a visor rod assembly attaches to allow the visor to rotate from a stored position adjacent the vehicle headliner to a lowered use position and subsequently rotated to the side window position for blocking incoming sunlight from either the side or the windshield by adjusting the visor""s rotational position once lowered. Frequently such visor assemblies include illuminated vanity mirrors and/or accessories, such as garage door opening transmitters, memo recorders, or other electrical accessories.
With the advent of side curtain air bags which are mounted within the vehicle headliner adjacent the side window and extend downwardly when triggered, it is possible for a vehicle operator to adjust a conventional visor to a side window sun-screening position which could interfere with or inhibit the operation of a side curtain air bag.
There exists a need, therefore, for a visor mounting system which prevents or greatly reduces the possibility of misaligning a visor in a side window sun-blocking position which could interfere with the operation of a side curtain air bag.
The visor mounting assembly of the present invention provides a system in which a visor elbow is mounted to a visor mounting bracket with a cam cooperating between the two members to detent the visor when moved from a front windshield position to a side window position at a location which allows clearance of the side curtain air bag, thereby positioning the visor when in the side window position at a location which does not interfere with or inhibit the operation of a side curtain air bag.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the visor mounting assembly includes an elbow mounting bracket having one of a recess and projection which is angularly positioned to cooperate with a visor elbow supporting a visor rod, which elbow includes the other of a projection and recess. When the visor is lowered and moved from a front windshield position to a side window position, it seeks and detents in a side window position which locates the visor in a position spaced laterally from the zone of operation of a side curtain air bag if deployed. Accordingly, a visor mounting assembly of the present invention provides an improved visor mounting system by which the vehicle operator can tactically locate the visor in a safe side window sun-blocking position for use in a vehicle equipped with a side curtain air bag.